Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
President Moon unlikely to veto 'fake news' bill
President Moon Jae-in speaks during a luncheon with National Assembly leaders at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday. Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
By Nam Hyun-woo
The conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is increasingly urging President Moon Jae-in to veto a controversial media law revision, widely referred to as the “fake news” bill. But it appears unlikely that Moon will use his right, in a bid to prevent his moves from affecting the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) popularity in the upcoming presidential election.
According to the National Assembly, the DPK will table the proposed revision at a plenary session on Sept. 27. The revision was initially set to be put to vote at an Aug. 30 plenary session, but the plan was postponed amid strong protest from opposition parties, media organizations and civic groups.
If the DPK and the PPP fail to reach an agreement, the revision, which sets out punitive damages for news outlets or reporters that produce incorrect or fabricated reports, will likely go to a vote at the upcoming session and be legislated, because the DPK holds more than half of the 300-seat Assembly.
Due to this, the PPP has been calling for President Moon to exercise his veto right, with which a president can send an Assembly-passed bill back for review. PPP floor leader Kim Gi-hyeon said on Aug. 30, “If the President does not exercise a veto, we will prepare every possible process to determine his responsibility for such a decision.”
However, Moon and Cheong Wa Dae have been taking an equivocal stance. According to PPP lawmakers who attended a meeting between Moon and National Assembly leaders on Friday, the President said “fake news is a threat to democracy, and it is also democracy that prevents society from controlling fake news,” adding it is “such an irony.”
Moon also said on Aug. 31 after the Assembly postponed the voting, “Laws and rules related to the fake news bill should be considered thoroughly to prevent possible abuses, but it is also important to prevent malicious fabricated reports and protect those who suffer from such reports.”
Along with Moon's ambiguous remarks, other Cheong Wa Dae officials are taking a neutral stance on the fake news bill as well as other key pending political issues before the presidential election in March next year.
People Power Party floor leader Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon speaks during a rally against a media law revision outlining punitive damages to be paid by news outlets that produce “fake news” in front of the National Assembly on Yeouido, Aug. 30. Yonhap
Regarding the parole decision last month on Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, it took four days for Cheong Wa Dae to release a comment about the issue. During the four days following the justice ministry's parole decision to release Lee from jail, criticism from the liberal bloc mounted over Moon's silence on the issue. Lee was jailed after he was found guilty on charges of bribery and embezzlement involving impeached and jailed former President Park Geun-hye.
“With the presidential election taking place in less than six months, the President seems to be trying to avoid anything that can be seen as influencing the election,” an official of the ruling bloc said on condition of anonymity.
“Also, if Moon vetoes the media bill revision, it can be interpreted as a sign that the presidential office and the ruling party are in conflict, which may weaken Moon's grip on state affairs in the late stage of his tenure,” the official said. “If the President were seriously against the bill, Cheong Wa Dae would have already coordinated with the DPK before the issue reached this stage.”
Moon has no history of exercising his veto right on bills passed at the National Assembly. Last year, he was urged to veto a bill that technically prohibits operation of the Tada ride-hailing service, but did not do so. In comparison, former President Park and her predecessor Lee Myung-bak exercised their veto rights twice and once during their presidencies, respectively.